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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. march — music
  6. kick — in football
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pop — soda
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. march — the month
  15. pop — music
  16. vault — a safe
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — in control
  20. march — the month
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — a price
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com